Want to register as a Childminder? Better do it before September

[MrAnchovy]

I know a few MNers have recently registered as Childminders and found that they had to bypass the red tape of their Local Authority to avoid unnecessary delays in registering. Unfortunately it seems that from September you will no longer be able to do this - and the National Childminders Association is NCMA encouraging this and other increases in the burden of regulation and compliance for childminders as below:

• The NCMA wants all childminders to be required to achieve a NVQ Level 3 qualification within five years of registration.

• The NCMA wants all prospective childminders to be required to attend training and pass a test in delivery of the EYFS before being allowed to be childminders.

• The NCMA wants all prospective childminders to be required to undertake mandatory safeguarding training (as well as first-aid training) before being allowed to be childminders.

• The NCMA believes that all registered childminders should be required to attend annual refresher courses on safeguarding.

• The NCMA supports the principle that all childminders are legally required to deliver the EYFS, even if they only provide wrap around care.

• NCMA supports the requirement for providers to give parents a written summary of their child's development in the prime areas when their child is 24-36 months.

• The NCMA wants childminders to be responsible for ensuring (so far as is reasonably practicable) that corporal punishment is not used on a child by any person who cares for them.

Speaking as a parent, I don't want my childminder to be required to do any of this - I want my childminder to be a 'second family' for my children, not an under-resourced imitation of a pre-school.

Cuffing I think your DS is still in your numbers for those 15 hours as you're still responsible for him - if the nursery call because he's ill then you'd have to get him. Same as if you had a minded child who spent part of the day in nursery and you were the emergency contact for them during those hours.

Sorry It's not about ratios I wont have additional kids I just meant that I will now have all my mornings child free and do I really want to stay home with children or get a job outside the home now. When I started the process I still had 12 months with DS at home. IYSWIM
All the additional responsibility highlighted by the OP has just made me wonder not for the first time if it's for me.

Thank you. Off to dentist in min when my two arrive. They love my dentist he is a lovely man, he makes such a fuss of the children. Gives them confidence. Don't give up, once you get started you will find yourself in demand. I enjoyed minding more once my children had started nursery/school; I didn't have to worry about giving them enough attention, saying that my two have made very good lifelong friends of some of my past mindees and have never resented my job. They know the alternative is that they wouldn't have me at home to run round after them and their friends. I'd put a smiley here but can't work out how to do it. I don't know how to use this site properly other than posting messages; but if you would like a copy of my daily sheet so you can give me feedback if you can find a safe way of me sending it to you I would be happy to.

Cuffing That's the same as the thoughts I've had then! I don't mind being professional, I don't mind some degree of paperwork or observation etc - that's part of the job. But there's a point where it becomes too much.

Most people I know who choose a childminder aren't interested in the EYFS, or development stages, or assessments and observations, or being given parenting tips or qualifications. They want someone their child feels happy and safe with, who has common sense and can keep their child entertained and give them lots of love and fun. Not one of the parents I worked with was interested in written assessments. They didn't care how old my safeguarding training was. They weren't bothered by the fact that I had no childcare experience at all.

Unfortunately, we're now in a position where we have (almost!) two young children and so for me to return to WOH once my maternity leave is over would mean that I'd have to find a job that pays considerably more than my old one did to cover childcare costs, and for what I am qualified/trained to do there aren't many jobs that do pay more than I was on so I am better off staying registered as a childminder.

Thank you that would be brill! I will PM you with my details. (I am on my iPhone so the smileys are right below the message box)

Hi Paperfreek, I would really appreciate a look at your daily sheet. I am on my mobile but I'll contact you later when I'm on the computer, I'm sure there is a way of safe contact.

By the way, I'm child-free today, I should be relaxing but the draw of MN is too much :-)

Flisspaps
I know what you are saying. If i did go back to work I would have to find cover for DS1 before and after school and for DS2 the same (but whole afternoon) Which would practically wipe out any wage I earn. I do have family support however, my ILs go away a lot as they're retired so I would need to get cover for a few weeks every month or so.
I am considering training to be a teacher. (no doubt my posts are riddled with grammatical errors and someone will be along shortly to point it out!) And yes
I know how much work is involved!
But the biggest reason that is holding me back is not being there for the DC's.

I think had I hit the ground running fresh from all my training (13 courses in total!) I would be loving it. And I think that mine will benefit from me being a CM as I will be more organised and be more engaged rather than sloping off to use MN!

Off to get some posters printed and get all my paperwork in order!

"They want someone their child feels happy and safe with, who has common sense and can keep their child entertained and give them lots of love and fun."

Yes, that is it exactly :)